1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates to a millennium object. In particular, the present invention relates to an object that exemplifies the essence of a millennium or other important date: the ability to simultaneously look forwards to the future and backwards to the past era.
2. Discussion of Background:
The coming millennium has generated interest in anything that is (or could be) associated with "the year 2000." A particularly widespread concern centers around the "Y2K" computer problem that results from the prevalence of two-digit date coding in computer software. Experts believe that older computers may malfunction when turning over from Dec. 31, 1998 to Jan. 1, 1999, which could adversely affect transportation, telephone, banking, and other systems that are highly computer-dependent.
Whether or not there is a "millennium" at all depends on the particular selection of dating system: the upcoming "year 2000" is a millennium only in the so-called "AD" (Anno Domini) or "CE" (Christian Era) dating system. Even in this system, there is some confusion about whether the "millennium" should be celebrated in the year 2000 or the year 2001, or (in some circles) whether the Gregorian or Julian calendar is the more valid.
No matter what the frame of reference, however, a millennium occurs only once in a thousand years. Thus, the year 2000 (or 2001) will be widely celebrated as a millennium in regions that use the Western calendar. Others regions have other millennia, past or yet to come, which are equally important in their own contexts.
A variety of Y2K-oriented products and services are available to consumers, including computer hardware and software, games, novelties, food products, survival kits, candles, computer-related consulting services, and commemorative items. Well over a hundred applications for registration of trademarks that include the term "Y2K" have been filed in the U.S. alone. Despite this great interest in millennium-related products, there is no known product that exemplifies the fundamental nature of a "millennium": being positioned at the beginning of a new era, looking backwards to the past and forwards to the future.
Many--perhaps most--people are collectors. Some people collect antiques or works of art; others collect stamps, trading cards, election campaign buttons, commemorative items associated with newsworthy events, or memorabilia associated with a favorite sport. No doubt some people will amass collections of "year 2000" items. There is an almost-incredible variety of useful and ornamental objects available to consumers; many of these are used for commemoratives, collectibles, and souvenirs. By way of example, useful devices that incorporate decorative, animal-like figures are shown by Stursberg (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 187,869), Dearling, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 182,168), Malsed (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 179,949), Haskell (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 177,175), Zipkin (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 172,528), and Lee (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 170,504). A variety of curved ornamental designs are shown by Welch (U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,489 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 281,335), Arkin (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 26,320), Saniugarte, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 404,074), Ford (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 404,972), and Garrett (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 180,143). Designs that include eye-like and face-like objects include those disclosed by Coulter (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 342,695), Haenelt (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 229,947), Maxwell (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 213,212), Williams (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 201,490), and Sly (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 181,497). Galef (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 178,356) shows a letter holder with two rounded tips (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 178,356) and a cat-like figure with two flat "eyes" (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 174,255). Stursberg's figurine (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 187,869) has antennae with ball-like tips.
Special-edition toys such as dolls are a favorite collectible item. Dolls are usually at least somewhat representative of the human form, whereas others are alien in appearance. These include dolls with antennae and flipper-like appendages, such as those shown by Angelora, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 402,714), Allen, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 393,024), Ventriglia, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 319,478), Alberico (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 361,106), Pruitt (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 324,401), Potter, et al. (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 304,356), Fiust (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 306,326), Rossi (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 198,856), Robinson (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 267,665), and Vela (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 298,960. Some have only a single "eye," for example, the Robinson and Keyworth (U.S. Pat. No. Des. 258,901) figures.
None of these designs evokes the basic concept of a "millennium," whether the millennium in question is the upcoming "Y2K" or the thousand-year anniversary of some other important date. There is no known design that exemplifies the unique position of a person who is celebrating a millennium-type event: someone or something that is located on the cusp of two eras, simultaneously looking backwards to the past and forwards to the future.